As a toner image is formed in the image forming section, and is transferred, a certain amount of toner remains on the image bearing component and intermediary transferring component, and is collected by the cleaning device of the apparatus. In some cases, a developing device discharges little by little the deteriorated developer. Ordinarily, the collected toner and collected developer are conveyed from the image forming section through the conveying section, and are cumulatively stored in the collection container disposed in the housing of the image forming apparatus. As the collection container becomes full, the collection container is taken out of the housing of the image forming apparatus, and is replaced with an empty collection container (Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2005-77513).
There is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2005-77513, an image forming apparatus which is provided with multiple image forming sections, multiple conveying sections connected to the image forming sections, one for one, and a single collection container. The image forming apparatus is structured so that the multiple conveying sections can be connected to, or separated from, one of the lateral walls of the collection container. The downstream end of each conveying section is provided with a shutter which is under the pressure generated by a spring in the direction to keep the conveying section closed. Thus, as the collection container is separated from the conveying section, the shutter automatically seals the conveying section to prevent toner leakage.
In the case of the image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2005-77513, the multiple shutters press on the collection container in the direction in which the shutters are closed. Therefore, in order to prevent the collection container from being pushed out of the housing of the image forming apparatus, it is necessary for the collection container to be fixed to the housing of the image forming apparatus with the use of a binding belt, a locking lever, or the like.
In the case of the image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Utility Model Application No. H02-69361, it is structured so that the direction in which the shutter is rotationally moved to be opened or closed is perpendicular to the direction in which the collection box 2 is inserted into the housing of the image forming apparatus. Further, it is structured so that as the collection box 2 is inserted into the housing of the image forming apparatus, a tilted surface 11 with which the collection box 2 is provided, causes the lever 28, with which the shutter is provided, to move in the direction to rotate the shutter. Moreover, it is structured so that by the time the collection box 2 is moved all the way into its designated position in the image forming apparatus, the lever 28 will have slid past the flat surface 10 of the collection box 2, and will have been caught by a protrusion 9 which protrudes from the flat section of the collection box 9. Therefore, the collection box 2 is not pushed back by the force generated by the spring provided to press the shutter. However, the image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Utility Model Application No. H02-69361 is structured so that as the lever with which the shutter is provided is moved by the flat surface of the collection box 2, which is tilted by a preset angle relative to the direction in which the collection box 2 is inserted into the housing of the image forming apparatus, the shutter is rotated by the lever. Therefore, the lever 28 could not be rotated by a large angle, which is problematic.